Racing Express, Friday 11 March 2022: Say hello to winter, Santa

The Grade 2 Senor Santa Stakes over 1160m as well as three Listed races top the card at Turffontein tomorrow. This year’s edition of the Senor Santa Stakes, run up the straight at Turffontein, looks wide open and one could make a winning case for so many of the runners. With the fillies able to claim their sex allowance, they generally come out as the best weighted runners and that might turn out to be defining factor.

Hello Winter Hello joined Johan Janse van Vuuren’s yard last year and really adjusted well to racing on the Highveld. The daughter of What A Winter won her first two starts for the stable, both over 1000m at Turffontein, and was then taken off to Cape Town to tackle the best sprinters in the land in the Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship over 1000m at Kenilworth. She certainly did not disgrace herself, staying on resolutely to finish just 3.60 lengths behind Bohica. She carries 2kg less this time and will be taking on a lot weaker field.

She has raced predominantly over 1000m but has won over 1200m. In fact, she also finished a 1.25-length second behind Rio Querari in last year’s Grade 2 Diadem Stakes over 1200m run at weight for age. Keagan de Melo has been in sparkling form and he is the right jockey to have aboard this five year-old mare. Gallic Princess won he Grade 3 Tommy Hotspur Handicap over 1000m at this course last month most impressively and must come into the reckoning.

The full edition of Friday’s Racing Express, as found in The Citizen, is available here

However, it is worth noting that De Melo rode her last time and has opted for Hello Winter Hello. Perhaps consistency can play a large role and that could favour Vaseem who has been a revelation since joining Roy Magner’s yard. He has raced nine times since then for four wins, three seconds and a third, and many times it has been against the same opposition he will be meeting in this event. Strictly on form he should be held by both Sweet Future and Mr Flood.

He finished second to these two runners in his last two starts and meets both of them on identical terms. He went down 1.20 lengths to Sweet Future and 1.30 lengths last time to Mr Flood but he is so consistent that he could turn that form around. For example, last week in races up the straight at Turffontein, inside draws seemed to be producing the most winners.

Vaseem will jump from barrier No 1 and that give him the edge on his two rivals. He also has the services of jockey Muzi Yeni, who has ridden him three times for two wins and that second place behind Sweet Future. Clearly both Sweet Future and Mr Flood have to come into the reckoning. Mike and Adam Azzietrained Sweet Future is very talented and loves this course. In five races up the Turffontein straight she has a record of two wins and three places, and she will also have Richard Fourie, who is riding at the top his game, in the irons.

Mr Flood finally came back to form last time and at his best, is one of the best sprinters on the Highveld. Should he repeat the form of his last race when beating Vaseem, the Lucky Houdalakis-trained Pathfork gelding will be highly competitive and has to be included in all the exotic bets. Sean Tarry has a useful filly in Under Your Spell while Smorgasbord is an up-and-coming youngster who could pull off a surprise. Paul Peter’s charge carries just 52kg and has log-leading jockey Warren Kennedy in the irons.

Also run at the meeting are the Listed Drum Star Handicap over 1800m, where Reunion looks very hard to oppose, as well as the Derby Trial and Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial, both over 2000m. The Drum Star Handicap looks to be at the mercy of Reunion, depending on his mood. His form on the Inside track is better but then he has only run once on this track where he had an off day. He won a lot easier last time in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1800m than the 1.80-length margin suggests as the race was in the bag a long way from home and Kennedy just nursed him to the finishing line.

Motown Magic was a most impressive winner of his last start over 2400m and could be the answer to the Derby Trial over 2000m. Trainer Mike de Kock had him entered into the Grade 1 Cape Derby but pulled him out at declaration stage. However, if he rates his charge in that class, he has to be the runner to beat in this line-up. It is also another top ride for Kennedy. The Oaks Trial, however, looks far more competitive but the 8-1 on offer about Corrie Lensleytrained Eternal Life could provide decent value.